Wealth of Nations, Years 1–2008 (Only Countries with Data are Labeled)

Wealth of Nations, Years 1–2008 (Only Countries with Data are Labeled)

9.50

Historical GDP estimates were created by Professor Madison and are currently maintained and updated by the Madison Project.

The years chosen to map were picked because they had data for the greatest number of countries. However, before the 20th century, most places do not have enough financial records to estimate GDP per capita for every year. And it is often the wealthier areas which have the records.

Angus Madison, a British economist who specialized in measurement and analysis of economic growth and development, combined modern research techniques with his own extensive knowledge of economic history to pioneered the estimate of a country's wealth (e.g. GDP per capita) all the way to the year 1.